Perfect
by Rose-Kuniochi
Summary: Katara has provided Zuko with all that his heart desires, a wife and now two beautiful children. Can this become any better for him?


Zuko was finally happy. He had his gorgeous water bending wife, and as she snuggled instinctively into his warmth, he felt the swelling belly of hers rub against his, the proof that he had loved her so. Inside of that belly were the heirs to the Southern water tribe and the royal fire. He inhaled her sweet smell and absorbed so readily. She was the pinnacle of all that he had called beautiful, her translucent blue eyes shone so brightly that it could almost transfix you to the place you were standing at, her fast reflexes can destroy you before you blink and she can be the most hopeful person he had ever had the honour to meet. The mere fact that she allowed him to marry her was the cherry on the cake.

" I love you Zuko." Katara murmured into his chest absently.

"I love you too Katara." Zuko returned.

He felt Katara shift away from him for a moment. Her face contorted and again she was racked with one of the most powerful pain she had ever felt before. Katara had been hiding these pains from Zuko for little over four hours now since her water broke. She didn't trust many of the doctors and had called for one from the water tribes. These pains had been getting closer together and their intensities were getting worse, almost ten minutes apart.

"Are you alright Katara?" Zuko asked, concerned for his wife's wellbeing. Katara ran out of the room, it was no use; she would have to have these children here without her grandmother. Zuko sprinted after her like his life depended on it.

"KATARA!" He roared, but it was no use, Katara was gone.

****

The pain rattled her. Katara wanted to scream, but nothing came out. It was as though the fear of losing these babies had made her silent. She bit her fist and drew blood, doubling over in pain. She grunted angrily and hit the wall with the other. Then, just then, Suki turned the corner innocently enough. She had just returned from the kitchens where she had gotten some food. Suki dropped her food instantly and ran to Katara. She could see that Katara was in labour. Suki made Katara squat against the wall* and made the girl breathe.

"How far are your contractions?"

"Three minutes." Katara grunted. She pulled at Suki's collar and looked sadly at her. "My babies are coming, aren't they?"

"How far are you?"

"Full term."

"Then they are." Suki reassured the waterbender. "We need to get you to the hospi-"

"I won't be able to make it there." Another blow of excruciating pain pain made Katara writhe.

"Does Zuko know you're in labour?" Suki asked. Katara glared up at her friend and that look made her think not.

Zuko spotted Suki and Katara and the pain that Katara was in.

"Get a nurse!" Suki shouted at the Fire Lord. He was frozen in fear more than anything. Katara looked at her husband with the expression of utter agony.

""Darling, I'm fine." Katara soothed her husband. This seemed to have woken Zuko and he was aware of the situation. He left.

"We are going to the hospital." Suki pestered but Katara shook her head vigorously.

"Gravity hel-"This time Katara could help but scream. Fast footsteps approached the pair of woman and the nurse arrived with things that Katara could barely see. Zuko knelt on her left while Suki flanked her right. The nurse tried to make her lie down but she refused, nearly biting the innocent nurse's head off.

"You are crowning Firelady." The nurse turned midwife said. "Now push."

***

Zuko couldn't see the miracle of childbirth. All he saw was the pain it caused. _Like everything else in his life_ he concluded inwardly. Katara was grinding her teeth and muffled all of the pain. Suddenly a piercing wail broke the silence. The nurse smiled.

"Fire Lord, Fire Lady. Your beautiful daughter." Katara beamed. The pain returned ridiculously fast as she saw her daughter being wrapped in the royal red and gold swaddling cloth and handed carefully to her father. She seemed to quieten in his arms. Zuko watched as one of her eyes opened to find them golden like his own, other than this, she looked like her mother, and the beauty she is. Another scream rattled through the hall, shriller than the first. The nurse-cum-midwife repeated what she did to the first, this time in blue and white, her Southern Water Tribe.

"And handsome son."

Katara collapsed out sheer tiredness and relief. Her children were healthy and now within reach.

"You need not to worry, Firelady." The nurse said, seeing Katara's relief. "They are healthy."

That was all the reassurance Katara needed as she smiled. Zuko kissed his wife's forehead.

"Stay in my room Kat." Suki said. "It's closer."

"Thanks Suki."

Zuko dealt with Katara so calmly and so lovingly that it was beautiful how they were so nice together. Not three years ago she would have gladly ripped his heart from his body and burned it. But now, the pair of them made the mellowest of people. Zuko placed Katara tenderly on the wheelchair while, with the help of the nurse, Suki tucked the babes onto the movable bassinets she had bought.

"Aren't you a cutie pie?" Suki cooed over the girl, who meowed in reply. Then she sneezed, showering Suki in sparks of green.  
>"Got a <em>green<em> firebender here." Suki said, bushing the sparks out. Katara chuckled. She wasn't surprised about the firebender in the family; Zuko and his sister were, not to mention his uncle and grandfather were.

"No child that is just the fire igniting, Firebenders always being with green fire." The nurse said. "This one on the other hand." Gently touching the boy who had been asleep since he had been put in the bassinet, "Seems to have the temperament of a patient warrior."

Everyone chuckled.

They had made it to Suki's room without much thought. Zuko lifted his beautiful wife and gently placed her onto Suki's bed.

"Go to sleep." Zuko said, feeling his wife fight against him.

"They may-"

"It's an order woman!" Zuko usually never pulled out the 'woman' remark unless he knew it was in her own benefit to listen. Katara glared at him before relenting. She lay her head on the pillow and instantly she was out. No drifting, just lights out. Zuko admired his wife silently for a moment before dismissing the nurse.

"She loves you, you know that." Suki said with a grin as she played with the infant, it seemed that this girl had taken a liking to Suki.

"I know that." Zuko said as he stood over his son.

"Good."

**Author's Note:**

**The conventional way of giving birth, when a woman is on her back prolongs the pain and makes it harder for the baby to travel. Squatting or on all fours almost shortens the childbirth process by three quarters, because it is aided by gravity (being in this instance gravity equalling good). Believe me; I would take squatting any day.**


End file.
